1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ovens and, more particularly, to doors for ovens.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gas powered and electric powered general purpose cooking ranges generally include a number of top burners and an interior oven. The oven is generally accessed through a door which includes a single rigid door panel which has a top side and a bottom side. The top side generally has a handle, and the bottom side includes part of a hinge assembly connected to the framework or body of the range in a fixed position. The hinge assembly is oriented horizontally on the range body, and when the door handle is pulled, the door opens by rotating around the fixed, horizontally oriented hinge assembly. A number of disadvantages are associated with this type of oven door which includes a fixed, horizontal hinge assembly connected between a bottom side of an oven door and the body of the oven.
With respect to one disadvantage of a bottom-side, fixed hinge oven door, when a bottom-side, fixed hinge door is opened, heated air in the top region of the oven easily escapes from the interior of the oven. It is a well known fact that hot air rises. When the bottom-side, fixed hinge door is opened, a portion of the heated air in the top region of the oven rises out of the oven, escaping from the oven. Such an escape of heated oven air is wasteful of energy. In this respect, it would be desirable if an oven door were provided which impedes the loss of heated air from the oven when the oven door is opened.
With respect to another disadvantage of a bottom-side, fixed hinge oven door, when such a door is opened, as the door swings around the fixed hinge, a partial vacuum is created in the oven which draws unheated outside air into the oven. The outside air mixes with the inside oven air to reduce oven temperature, which, in turn requires further heating. In this respect, it would be desirable if an oven door were provided which does not create a vacuum inside the oven which draws in unheated outside air when the oven door is opened.
With respect to yet another disadvantage of a bottom-side, fixed hinge oven door, when such a door is opened, the person opening the door often places one's head near the top side of the door to gain a good view of the interior of the oven to check on the food being heated therein. When the conventional door is opened, the hot air that escapes from the top region of the oven may give the person a blast of hot air that may cause irritation or burning. In this respect, it would be desirable if an oven door were provided which prevents an unsafe blast of hot air from escaping from the top region of an oven when the oven door is opened.
Conventional oven doors generally include opaque portions and transparent portions which permit a person to view the interior of the oven without opening the oven door. Such a transparent portion is very desirable, and it would be desirable if an oven door were provided which includes a transparent portion that permits the interior of the oven to be viewed without opening the oven door.
Aside from the step of opening an oven door, heated air within an oven often escapes from the oven around edges of a closed oven door. In fact, although the door is closed, edges of the door may not be adequately sealed with respect to the body of the oven. In this respect, it would be desirable if an oven door were provided which includes a sealing assembly between the oven door and the body of the oven.
One reason why conventional bottom-side, fixed hinge oven doors tend to be inadequately sealed relates to the fact that the center of gravity of the door is located above the bottom-side, fixed hinge. As a result, under the influence of the force of gravity, the oven door may tend to swing open in rotation around the bottom-side, fixed hinge under its own weight, without its handle being pulled by a person. Thus, in such a case, the force of gravity tends to open the oven door when it is desired for the oven door to remain closed. In this respect, it would be desirable if an oven door were provided which tends to remain closed under the influence of the force of gravity.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to oven doors, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,439,668; 4,102,322; 4,716,884; 4,846,245; and 4,927,501. In spite of their differences, all of the cited patents appear to disclose oven doors that have one common feature; they disclose bottom-side, fixed hinge oven doors.
Still other features would be desirable in an oven door apparatus. For example, since oven doors are exposed to high temperatures, it would be desirable for the components of the oven doors to be high temperature resistant.
Ovens, in three-dimensional space, have a width, a height, and a depth. Similarly, oven doors have a width, a height, and a depth. Although the oven and oven door dimensions can be varied through a wide spectrum of proportions, it is preferred that the height of a closed oven door be less than the depth of the oven.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use oven doors, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest an oven door apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) impedes the loss of heated air from the oven when the oven door is opened; (2) does not create a vacuum inside the oven which draws in unheated outside air when the oven door is opened; (3) prevents an unsafe blast of hot air from escaping from the top region of an oven when the oven door is opened; (4) includes a transparent portion that permits the interior of the oven to be viewed without opening the oven door; (5) includes a sealing assembly between the oven door and the body of the oven; (6) tends to remain closed under the influence of the force of gravity; (7) includes oven door components that are resistant to high temperatures; and (8) has a height of the closed oven door which is less than the depth of the oven. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique oven door apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.